Daijiro Ban has been appointed Chief Evangelist at Lazuli Inc.

Lazuli Inc., which provides the product data platform "Lazuli PDP" (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Seigen Hagiwara), is pleased to announce that Daijiro Ban (ばん だいじろう) has been appointed Chief Evangelist.

Under the Vision of "creating a world where product information is organized and easy for anyone to access and use," Lazuli has continued to grow across product, technology, and organizational dimensions.

Going forward, in order to more broadly deliver the value of AI-powered solutions and Lazuli's Vision and Mission to society, while further strengthening co-creation with the market and the industry, we have newly established the Chief Evangelist position to handle communications and dialogue, and Daijiro Ban, who has extensive knowledge and achievements in data utilization, CRM, and retail, has assumed the role.

【Comment from Daijiro Ban】

For more than 25 years, I have been working on data utilization and customer understanding in the retail sector, and throughout that time the biggest challenge I have consistently felt is that, "product data is not sufficiently understood or interpreted."

Products are, in essence, chosen not only for their functions and prices, but also for the emotions and cultural meanings they carry, and I believe that is where the starting point for a better shopping experience lies.

With the evolution of AI, customers are entering an era where they do not just "search," but interactively find the "best answer for themselves." What will matter in that future is that product data is structured not as a mere collection of information, but as knowledge with meaning. When products have meaning, they can respond to the diversity of customers' thinking and values, enabling new purchasing experiences and solution discovery through AI.

I feel that the product data platform "Lazuli PDP" provided by Lazuli is a foundation that redefines product information as "usable data" and makes it possible to create semantic connections with products and content to deepen customer understanding.

As Chief Evangelist, while communicating Lazuli's Vision to society, I also hope to broaden the possibilities of product data through dialogue with the industry and market, and co-create richer shopping experiences.

【Profile of Daijiro Ban】

In the retail industry, I was an early observer of the importance of CRM and have consistently been engaged in strategy planning and service development centered on data utilization. After joining OPT Inc. in 2011, I worked as a marketing consultant and from 2015 led business growth as General Manager of the Marketing Division. Through launching units such as the Marketing Management Division and OMO-related departments, I oversaw a consulting organization for digital marketing.

From 2021, I became an Executive Specialist (special officer) at Yappli, Inc., promoting the design of customer experiences using mobile apps and the advancement of CRM utilization.

That same year, I founded db-lab LLC and, as its representative member, provided consulting and advisory services related to data-driven marketing, while also supporting customer strategy and customer experience transformation for a variety of companies as Chief CX Strategist at Kokyaku Jikan Inc.

For more than 10 years, through participation in overseas conferences and company visits, I have continuously researched and studied the latest trends in the retail sector. I also actively share information through speaking engagements, contributions, and other activities.

My book includes 『CRM in the Mobile Era — How Has Smartphone Customer Communication Changed?』 (Shoeisha Digital First).

【Comment from Representative Director Seigen Hagiwara】

I am very encouraged to welcome Mr. Daijiro Ban to Lazuli as Chief Evangelist.

Mr. Ban is a truly rare individual who has addressed the theme of how product information shapes customer experiences and improves purchasing behavior and decision-making, and has conveyed his thinking and practice to society in words, while working across management, marketing, and frontline operations in the retail and brand domains.

For retailers, product information is the starting point for every management decision, including procurement, store merchandising, e-commerce, CRM, and supply-and-demand decisions. For CPG brands, it is also a core asset for correctly delivering the value and philosophy their products embody to the market and for consistently designing customer experiences.

In Japan, there are not many people who can talk about product data from both the "management" and "customer experience" perspectives at this level. I believe Mr. Ban is one of the few practitioners who, with a deep understanding of both positions, can explain the importance of product information in a realistic and convincing way.

Lazuli has been working to structure and give meaning to product information through AI and transform it into "usable data" that advances management and brands. With Mr. Ban's perspective and communication power added, I am convinced that we will be able to present the business value and brand value created by product information to the industry not as mere idealism, but as actionable steps that can be implemented.

As Chief Evangelist, together with Mr. Ban, we hope to co-create with everyone in the industry a new standard that evolves customer experience and management from product information as the starting point.

【About Lazuli】

Lazuli Inc. is an AI startup founded in July 2020. Lazuli uses AI to turn "product information" into a "management asset" that creates competitive advantage, and works together to drive business transformation for enterprise companies through product information. As its core business, it provides the product data platform "Lazuli PDP," centered on product information, and uses generative AI to collect, organize, and enrich data scattered both inside and outside the company. Lazuli PDP, with AI PIM*/AI DAM** as its core functions, is a next-generation product data foundation that incorporates AI-driven automation and expansion. With solutions using advanced AI, it automates complex data processing and eliminates data silos that exist between departments and systems. Based on centrally managed product information, it enables consistent data to be quickly used by AI and other technologies. As a result, companies including manufacturers and retailers can improve customer experiences and respond quickly to market changes.
HP:https://lazuli.ninja/

*1: Product Information Management: systems and processes for centrally managing product-related information and data
*2: Digital Asset Management: systems and processes for managing and distributing digital content related to products, such as text, videos, and photos